


timmy play your trumpet (let the people go beserk)

by farozaan



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Background Kuroken - Freeform, Chaos, Everyone Loves Hinata, Humor, M/M, MSBY 4 are roommates, Post-Time Skip, Pro volleyball players, Romance, Slow Burn, atsumu pov, background bokuaka - Freeform, idiocy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:40:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24732475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/farozaan/pseuds/farozaan
Summary: “By the way, don't drink the milk today.” Sakusa says in an ominous tone and then just washes his face without any further explanation. Atsumu stares at him.“Uh, okay. Why?”“Because I put vinegar in it.”The MSBY quartet live together in an apartment.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Miya Atsumu
Comments: 243
Kudos: 2652





	timmy play your trumpet (let the people go beserk)

**Author's Note:**

> yes the title is from freaks by timmy trumpet & savage which is that vine of that dad with a trombone and then kid smacking theirs oven open and shut to the beat bc mom's not home. i thought it went well with the mood of this fic.
> 
> in any case, i love the msby quartet so much and really wanted to put them in a setting where they all live together. this is all a mixture of scenes from tv shows (especially new girl) but also a lot of nonsense i came up with myself.  
> it all started when i tweeted [this](https://twitter.com/msby_twt/status/1270821555245850627?s=21) and ever since then i couldn't stop thinking, so i sat down and created this.
> 
> i'm actually kinda excited about this fic, so i hope you enjoy it too!!

Many people had this real misconception that Sakusa Kiyoomi was a calm, mature, and collected guy.

Atsumu knows that many people were wrong. 

Sakusa Kiyoomi is a petty, sarcastic, competitive, and often immature weirdo. 

Case in point, Sakusa Kiyoomi standing in the middle of their living room with a spray bottle which he is graciously using on Bokuto who is just screaming and trying to dodge.

“Guys,” Atsumu tries but it's drowned by another _‘Omi-Omi!’_ after Sakusa manages to spray him right in his face.

“This is what you get,” Sakusa all but hisses with his signature expression showing unalturated disgust. “This is what happens when you wrong me, Bokuto Koutarou.”

Atsumu hums because Sakusa only calls Bokuto by his full name when he's actually mad. Maybe Bokuto drank from the milk carton again and got caught.

“Guys,” he tries again, a bit louder but to no avail. 

“I wouldn't have done it, if I knew I’d get caught!” Bokuto whines and Sakusa looks furious, shooting three executive sprays at him.

 _“Guys!”_ This time they actually hear him and turn around, and Bokuto looks like he's about to present his longest ‘TsumTsum’ ever but halts when he sees that Atsumu isn’t alone.

“So, Shouyou-kun, this is the dorm ya will be joining. With the three of us.”

Both Sakusa and Bokuto pause their– whatever that was, and now fully turn towards them. Hinata, bless his heart, just smiles widely at them. “Please take care of me!” God, he’s so cute, Atsumu thinks. 

Bokuto beams right back at him. “Welcome Hinata!”

Sakusa is looking at Atsumu, then at Hinata, and back at Atsumu. He then smirks, and Atsumu is not entirely comfortable with that. “Hello Hinata. Welcome to hell.” 

After he says that, he sprays Bokuto with water again.

  
  


The first few hours of Hinata living with them is pretty standard and uneventful. He is literally moving in and carrying up his stuff and unpacking, instisting that he doesn't need any help. They all had expectations of how Hinata would decorate and fill his room, but none of them are right in the end.

Sakusa was sure Hinata would be yet another chaotic hindrance in his attempt to keep this place immaculate. He expected a mashup of trinkets, colorful and bright decor, and no organization.

Bokuto expected pretty much the same, similar to what he would be like himself if it wasn't for Akaashi putting his foot down and making sure Bokuto didn't start to hoard.

Atsumu expected posters of various volleyball players and inspirational slogans, along all things related to volleyball.

Hinata, instead, seems to be very neat and simple. (Sakusa sighs in relief.) He surprisingly has a lot of books in several languages (Japanese, English, Portuguese, and Spanish) about various things. They range from simple shonen manga, to educational books on anatomy, nutritions, and even meditation.

He also has a few photos with some people they recognize (Karasuno), and people they’ve never seen before (friends from Brazil.) He also still has his Karasuno jersey, a few weights, a yoga mat, and a single worn volleyball.

After getting settled there, Sakusa summons him for the introduction into their dorm life because he is in charge of that. He decided that himself.

“We have rules which absolutely have to be followed. First, the cleaning schedule. _Always_ follow the cleaning schedule. It is of utmost importance to follow the cleaning schedule _especially_ for the bathroom because we are cursed to share one together. The bathroom cleaning schedule hangs outside the bathroom. The kitchen cleaning schedule is on the fridge. You can switch shifts if both parties agree. If you fail to follow the schedule, there will be a penalty.”

“The spray bottle from hell,” Bokuto whispers gravely from the couch.

“Your room is your own responsibility. The common areas like the living room and balcony have to stay clean at all times. Never enter my room unless I allow you to, which I won't, so don't enter it. Do not enter my room, Bokuto.”

Atsumu leans over to Bokuto. “Is that why he sprayed ya earlier?”

Bokuto shakes his head and only leans in to whisper a single word. “Milk.”

Atsumu nods. He knew it.

Sakusa thankfully can’t hear them and continues with his dorm life orientation. “At least two people get groceries together. Whenever we run out of something, we write it on this whiteboard here. We have a budget for things that all of us can use. If you want something for yourself, you have to buy it yourself and label it. We do not appreciate food stealers. Can you cook, Hinata?”

Hinata is actually listening attentively and nods. “I’m pretty good. I used to cook for my roommate all the time in Brazil.” 

Sakusa nods, apparently very satisfied by that response. “Then I will add you to the cooking schedule.”

“Wow, so many schedules!” That exclamation could have sounded sarcastic but it was spoken in such a genuine and sweet tone, even Sakusa is taken aback a little.

“They are necessary, especially if you have to live together with those two.”

 _“Um, ‘cuse me-”_ \- _“Hey!!”_

Hinata just laughs. “I already know that I will love it here! Thank you so much, Sakusa-san for taking the time to explain everything to me. I’m so glad I get to live in this dorm with you guys. I kept crashing at my friends’ places because I couldn't find a suitable apartment here. So thank you so much!”

Bokuto is grinning widely, Atsumu feels really warm, and Sakusa stares at him before clearing his throat and looking to the side. “Uh, sure. You officially joined the team now, anyway.”

Hinata smiles even wider. “Yes, and I am so happy!”

Sakusa glances at Hinata and pulls his mask over his nose to hide whatever was happening on his face. “So anyway, let's continue.”

Hinata nods, attention all on Sakusa who is suddenly struggling a little more than before, but soon gets a grip as he starts explaining the bathroom etiquette and how they're dividing their trash.

“Bro,” Bokuto says next to Atsumu, and Atsumu just ‘mhm’s him while watching the unlikely pair of wing spikers walking around their apartment.

“Bro, close your mouth.”

Atsumu snaps his mouth shut and glares. “Shut it, Bokkun!”

The dorm orientation is done after one more hour, thirty minutes of that being Sakusa's ‘Intro into Laundry and how it is supposed to be done,’ and Hinata sits down on the couch with them with a content sigh.

Sakusa joins them as well, but he sits on the armchair because he always does.

“We should have, like, a party! To celebrate you moving in with us,” Bokuto proposes but is immediately shut down.

“We have practice tomorrow.”

“I didn't mean right now. Maybe on the weekend or something.”

Atsumu wants to object to it but when he glances over to Hinata, he sees a little sparkle in his eyes, and thus it's a deal done for him.

“Let's do it.”

“We are not throwing a party at our apartment.”

“Omi-kum, c’mon! We're not gonna invite a lot of people. Maybe just Keiji, and Samu-kun! Just a small little thing!”

Sakusa frowns but hearing the guest list does appease him a little. He’s staring at their ceiling, apparently weighing the pros and cons for a full three minutes, and Atsumu knows he’s just doing that to be obnoxious. He then nods. “Okay, fine.”

Bokuto hoots and throws his fists in the air, and Hinata laughs; his smile so bright it should be illegal. 

At some point they turn on their TV to some show and as usual, Atsumu and Sakusa start arguing about it. Bokuto is sneakily eating some kind of crackers out of his pocket without getting reprimanded because Sakusa is too busy proving Atsumu wrong. 

Hinata is just sitting back, relaxed, and his eyes drift away around the common area, taking in that this is his home now. His eyes eventually land on a glass jar filled with money with a label on it that he can't read from where he is sitting.

“What's that jar?”

The others glance over to where Hinata is pointing and they all nod in recognition.

“That's the Dumbass Jar,” Atsumu explains. “Whenever someone’s a dumbass, they have to put in money. The amount depends on how much of a dumbass ya were. And whenever it's full, we decide what to do with the money together.”

“Thankfully, I am not a common contributor to the Jar,” Sakusa lies like a liar and Atsumu tells him so.

“Had to put in money two days ago.”

“I’m talking about overall statistics. Obviously you and Bokuto have to pay up a lot more.”

It's about to escalate again and Hinata laughs again, effectively distracting them, and it works so well because his laugh, in Atsumu's opinion, sounds a little like angel bells or something like that. It's just really nice. That thought does border on dumbassery and Atsumu almost puts money in the jar. But instead he just grins back at Hinata. He has a good feeling about this.

They go to bed early that day because training is going to start early the next day and it will also be Hinata's first morning with them which will be interesting.

As soon as Hinata wishes them goodnight and closes the door behind himself, the rest of them all look at each and nod in unison. The initiation will begin.

  
  


## act 1 - the vinegar milk disaster

  
  


Hinata is an earlier riser, and absolutely no one is surprised by that. By the time the others wake up (first Sakusa, then Bokuto, and lastly Atsumu), Hinata is already on their balcony doing his morning yoga.

Atsumu is on his way to the bathroom when he witnesses that, and he freezes in the middle of the living room to stare. Just a little bit. He is just one man and he has his limits, and Hinata in yoga pants definitely surpasses that limit.

He eventually manages to get it together once Bokuto comes back from his quick morning run, and Atsumu proceeds in mechanical steps and empty eyes like they lost all will to live to the bathroom where Sakusa is already brushing his teeth. 

Their bathroom is quite big and they have two sinks, one of them belonging only to Sakusa. It's written in the rules. They also have a pretty big tub and a western shower. Honestly, they're lucky the Black Jackals offer such nice dorms for their first string players.

Sakusa glances at Atsumu which is pretty much a cheerful good morning in his books.

Atsumu takes his toothbrush. “Shouyou-kun’s doin’ yoga on the balcony.”

Sakusa glances over again and then washes out his mouth. “I saw,” he says once he is done. “Apparently he does that every morning. He also meditates.”

Every morning, huh. That fact is twisting and turning in Atsumu's head. Every morning. Every. Every morning. Every day in the morning. Hinata in yoga pants. Every single morning. That's fine. He starts brushing his teeth.

“By the way, don't drink the milk today.” Sakusa says in an ominous tone and then just washes his face without any further explanation. Atsumu stares at him.

“Uh, okay. Why?”

“Because I put vinegar in it.”

Atsumu almost drops his toothbrush. He continues to stare at Sakusa who does not offer any further explanation, as if putting vinegar in their milk was totally normal.

Atsumu washes his mouth and tries to understand. He eventually connects the dots.

“Is this because Bokkun drank from the carton again?”

Sakusa nods. “Obviously.”

Atsumu tries to suppress his smirk. “Oh what a devilish plan, Omi-kun.”

Sakusa nods and almost looks proud and Atsumu cannot wait to destroy that. He calmly puts away his toothbrush and gets out his cleanser and toner. 

“You know,” he begins while rubbing his cleanser in. “If Bokkun goes ahead and drinks that nasty concoction, do you think he will actually swallow it or, you know, spit it out all over the kitchen?”

Sakusa freezes next to him and a feeling of absolute and utter satisfaction fills Atsumu as he becomes the witness of the fastest panic neat folding of a wet towel and carefully putting it in the laundry basket at record speed, before running out and yelling “Wait!” in the world.

But it's all too late. Just as Sakusa called out to him, there's a deafening “Uurghhgdhdg” and the distinctive sounds of liquids hitting solids. A painful and long _“No!”_ filled with so much disgust that their windows almost start to shatter is what follows, and Atsumu is in the best of moods as he washes off his cleanser and starts patting in his toner.

He takes his time doing his skincare routine and when he comes out, the view of their kitchen area is even better than he expected. Sakusa has started wiping down the entire space while cursing to himself (probably at himself too), Bokuto is standing there with the open milk carton in his one hand, the other covering his mouth. Hinata is next to him in all his yoga pants glory, looking a little worried.

“Ya know, Omi-kun,” Atsumu says, enjoying every moment of this. “That's one for the Dumbass Jar.” 

Sakusa knows this and Atsumu loves everything about it. He walks up next to Hinata and throws one arm around his shoulder. “Welcome to the dorm again, Shouyou-kun.”

Hinata turns his head and looks up at him with his big, bright eyes (dear God) and of course he grins again. “I think this is going to be fun.”

“Help me clean this up, Bokuto! This wouldn't have happened, had you not drank from the milk carton!”

“No, this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't _poisoned_ the milk!” Bokuto yells back but still goes to help clean everything up because in the end, Bokuto is a nice guy.

At some point, Sakusa is satisfied with the state of the kitchen again, and as compensation, he wants to prepare breakfast for everyone. Hinata still offers to help.

“There's no need, Hinata.” Sakusa insists as he turns on the rice cooker. “I like to cook alone.”

Bokuto and Atsumu both share a look. Sure, that was one way to say that Sakusa turned into an even more controlling monster behind a kitchen counter. 

Hinata accepts that easily, but still insists to make his morning shake and he offers one for all of them which they gratefully accept, considering Hinata has a whole library on nutritional meals and drinks for athletes and he seems very knowledgeable about these things. Well, all of them were to different degrees. They had to be, as pro athletes. But when Hinata Shouyou offers you an energy shake in the morning, you’re going to accept that energy shake in the morning.

They eventually sit down together and eat, Bokuto only bringing up his vinegar withering tastebuds twice, which reminds them that Sakusa has to put 2000 yen into the Jar.

They get ready for practice and as they walk out the door together, Sakusa pulls up his mask, leans down a bit further into Hinata’s space. _“You smell different when you're awake,”_ he whispers and quickly stands tall again, looking ahead past Hinata.

Hinata spins around and stares at him which makes all of them stop. Sakusa looks at him. “What?”

“Wha-What did you just say?”

Sakusa frowns. “I didn't say anything.”

Hinata rubs his neck, looking confused. “But you- you just- didn't you just lean in-”

Sakusa's frown deepens. “Do you really think I’d voluntarily enter people's personal spaces?”

Hinata still looks confused for a bit, and shakes his head and along with it shakes off the thought. “You're right! I must have imagined it! I’m sorry.”

They all continue and take the elevator down, all of them hiding their smiles.

  
  


## act 2 - the ice cream thief

  
  


It's been a month since Hinata moved in with them, and by now he is a fully established part in their hideous family. He even had to put money into the Dumbass Jar twice.

There have been many revelations living with Hinata Shouyou.

First of all, he is actually a very clean and neat person. Sakusa was over the moon, deciding that Hinata is his favorite roommate after he witnessed Hinata mopping the floors even though it wasn't on his cleaning schedule, but he was ‘on a roll’ so he did it anyway.

Also, Hinata Shouyou eats a lot. He eats good things of course, but still a lot of that. But it's okay because he also works out and practices a lot, which results in him having thighs of a God. It's fine, really.

Hinata Shouyou has a lot of energy and is a loud person. Atsumu only imagines what he’d be like if he didn't work out so religiously. Where would all that energy go? How would he handle it? Maybe that's why he meditates.

Hinata Shouyou is also very competitive. Which fits perfectly in their little disaster household because all of them are very competitive, just in different ways. Bokuto is loud, but still a good sport about it. Sakusa is quiet and petty. Atsumu is passive aggressive; sometimes he's just aggressive. And Hinata is sometimes loud, petty, and (passive) aggressive, but in the end still a good sport about it, so a mix of all three of them. 

So when Bokuto said he can juggle at least three apples, Hinata insisted he can juggle four, even though he couldn't. Atsumu said that juggling apples is stupid anyway after he got hit in the face trying to do it, and Sakusa smirked at them while juggling four and walking around with annoying ease. 

Bokuto clapped excitedly, Hinata looked flabbergasted and whispered that he wants to do that too, looking very impressed, and Atsumu hit one apple out of Sakusa's very stable juggle-rotation with an innocent “Whoopsie.” 

Sakusa also continued to whisper absolutely random things to Hinata because it was hilarious and part of their initiation. 

Three days in, just before Sakusa went to bed, he whispered, _“please help me,”_ before continuing on towards his room as if nothing happened. Hinata was sitting with Bokuto and looked at him in panic, asking if he heard that too.

Of course he did. “Heard what?” He said.

Hinata was so confused.

This continued of course. At the most random times (although never at training or during private workout and practice sessions because they were still all pros), Sakusa would continue to do this, taking suggestions from both Atsumu and Bokuto.

They ranged from simple things like _“Soon.”_ or _“He knows.”_ to little creepy things like _“Your hair tastes like strawberries.”_ (that one made Sakusa himself shudder.)

Hinata eventually cracked after ten days. “Okay, I _know_ you guys are messing with me! What the hell does ‘I killed Mufasa’ even mean?”

Bokuto can't hold it in and starts laughing. “I can't believe you endured this for ten days!”

Sakusa smirks from his armchair. “Didn't I do this to you for more than two weeks and it was Akaashi-san that made it stop because you were getting superstitious?”

Bokuto blushes. “That's all in the past, we have moved on from that!”

Atsumu grins at Hinata and pulls him onto the couch next between himself and Bokuto. “Now, you're _really_ part of this dorm.”

Hinata only pouts for a little while because he can't stay actually mad at them anyway, and eventually eases into the cushions behind him. They start watching a game together that Hinata had found earlier online and just like that, it all fits together.

That being said, Atsumu is furious.

“Who was it?” He yells, walking into the living room with a red head. “No time for excuses! Who did it?”

The other three turn to him with confused looks on their faces. Sakusa looks him up and down for exactly three seconds before deciding that he doesn't care about what's happening, and turns back to his book.

Hinata and Bokuto are just confused.

“What do you mean, Atsumu-san?”

Atsumu pulls forward an empty paper bowl and holds it out to his roommates. “Who ate my Meiji Essel Super Cup Ultra Vanilla Ice Cream? Who did it? Today is my cheat day, and I waited for a _week_ to eat this. So who ate my ice cream and then left the empty box in the freezer? I’m not mad, I just’ wanna talk.”

All three of them stare at Atsumu, who was still showing off his empty ice cream box with a shaking hand.

“You look pretty mad, though,” Bokuto remarks hesitantly.

Atsumu takes a deep breath. “Who did it? Do you understand what I’m going through right now? I’ve waited so long, counted the hours, until I could sit down on our balcony and enjoy the rich and sweet taste of vanilla in the sun and one of y’all betrayed me tonight.”

There's collective silence in the room as Atsumu waits for the thief to come forward. Honestly, Atsumu already knows that it was Bokuto, so he is already staring at him.

“Dude, stop looking at me like that, I don't even like vanilla ice cream. I’m a mint chocolate kinda guy.”

Sakusa looks up from his book and makes a disgusted sound. “Your personality just gets worse with every new thing I learn about you.”

“Hey! Mint chocolate ice cream is good!”

“It tastes like toothpaste.”

“And I thought you of all people would enjoy that.”

“Shut up!” Atsumu interrupts them. “No one cares, just come clean Bokkun. Admit you ate my ice cream.”

“But I didn't! I told you, I don't like vanilla ice cream!”

Atsumu is about to tell him in detail how he doesn't believe his lying, ice-cream stealing ass when there's a quiet “Excuse me,” stopping him.

Hinata is looking at him with the guiltiest look he has ever seen on him, and that's even after serving the ball full force into the back of his head the other week.

_No. It couldn't be._

“I am so sorry Atsumu-san! I think it was my sister. I didn't realize what she had done! She visited me here a few days ago and asked if she could have a snack and I told her to take anything that's labelled with my name, but she must have eaten your ice cream. I am so sorry. I will go right now and buy you a new one.”

It was like someone just blew out every flame of anger Atsumu had been carrying inside of himself, and he just stood there, staring at Hinata with his eyes wide and mouth open.

“I see. I– that’s alright, I understand.”

There are indignant sounds coming from both Sakusa and Bokuto, and Hinata is already on his feet and heading to his room to get changed. “No I insist, this was my fault.”

Atsumu feels like he is made of rubber. Like, every single part of his body is just made of it which makes moving his tongue really difficult. Is that how Sakusa feels with his flexible limbs? “No, really. It's fine-”

Hinata doesn't listen and disappears in his room with Atsumu just staring after him.

“So,” Sakusa then says. “Are we gonna address this then?”

Atsumu is confused. “Address what?”

Sakusa and Bokuto exchange a look and then simultaneously stare at him without answering him which is pretty annoying.

“Address _what?”_ Atsumu asks again with a little more bite.

“Are you playing dumb, or do you actually not realize?” Sakusa asks him instead and Atsumu frowns because he's not about to let Sakusa Kiyoomi call him dumb. Actually no one should call him dumb. He's an athletic genius.

“The hell are you talking about?”

Sakusa and Bokuto share a look _again_ and Atsumu is starting to get mad. He's about to vocalize his emotions very clearly when Hinata comes back out of his room, this time dressed and ready to go and all his anger from before vanishes.

“Shouyou-kun, ya really don't have to do this.”

Hinata vehemently shakes his head. “But I want to! Let me buy you your ice cream, Atsumu-san. Just toss me a few extra balls next practice, okay?”

Atsumu wants to insist more, but Hinata is already at their door, putting on his shoes, and Atsumu curses and follows him. “I’m gonna come with ya.”

Hinata looks up at him in surprise at first, but soon a smile blooms on his face and it makes Atsumu believe he did everything right in his life. “You are?”

Atsumu just nods, his cheeks feeling a little too warm as he puts on his shoes.

“Do you guys need anything from the store?” Hinata calls into the apartment but he just gets two ‘no thank you’s and with that they're off and Atsumu thinks that maybe it's not _that_ bad that someone ate his ice cream.

Back in their apartment, Sakusa is back to reading his book, while Bokuto is zipping through the channels.

“That idiot is hopeless.”

Bokuto nods. “Yup.”

A few minutes of silence.

“You ate the ice cream, didn't you, Bokuto.”

“Oh absolutely. On the day he got it.”

Sakusa just hums and flips the page.

  
  
  


## act 0 - interlude

  
  


It has been yet another month of Hinata Shouyou living with them, and Atsumu can't even imagine not having him around anymore.

Both at home and in their team. 

Atsumu is still floored by the amount of skill and power Hinata seemed to have learned and cultivated ever since the last time they saw each other. He basically went to the other end of the world on his own, and started from the very beginning with beach volleyball, basically stripping himself off of everything he had learned and honed. 

And not just that. Within two years, he became a professional beach volleyball player and likely could have made a very good living with that, but instead he came back to Japan and the indoors, and powered his way into a top tier V1 division team one week after coming back. And not just that, he immediately joined the first string and is supposed to make his debut soon. That's how amazing Hinata Shouyou is. 

Embarrassingly, Atsumu still remembers how he told Hinata almost six years ago, then he would set for him one day. Back then that was just an admission fueled by the way Hinata's play even back then in his first year had moved him. He never would have thought it would actually become reality. Maybe he should play the lottery or something.

In any case, having a player like Hinata on the team is already amazing on its own. But to go back home with him, hang out with him on their days off, get in some extra practice in their dorms own gym, or even go on a nice little run (which always somehow turns into a competition) is just incredible. 

After Osamu told him he wouldn't continue playing volleyball, Atsumu had been mad. Unlike ever before. Yes, he and Samu fought all the damn time since their births, but this time it was different. 

He had promised to show to his twin brother that he’d end up with the happier life. It was easier said than done, though. If all your life you were pretty much part of a pair, it was hard to figure out your identity on your own. It was hard to build the same connection to others. 

It wasn't like Atsumu made friends that easily to begin with. He knows he can be obnoxious, arrogant, and sometimes just downright nasty, though he has gotten a lot better since his teenage years. He had to grow up at some point and some things he used to do just didn't work out the world of professional volleyball anymore, especially in this caliber.

Yeah he has his good looks, and he's confident, and connecting with a team on this skill level is important as well. He learned that pretty early on. He learned that when he was made captain in his last year of high school, and it got further drilled into him when he went pro.

But connecting with people on a deeper level isn't easy for Atsumu. Not when he was used to having his twin brother as his partner whose connection couldn't ever be replicated. He wanted to have the happier life, but at first he needed to find himself and figure out what and who he is on his own. He knew Osamu was happy with his Onigiri business, but Atsumu still had to prove it to him. 

Maybe that's why he agreed to join the dorm with Bokuto when he asked. Maybe that's why he also agreed for Sakusa to join. (Even though he still doesn't know how _Sakusa_ himself agreed to join.) For the sake to build connections.

And he trained like crazy. He became the regular setter of one of the best teams in the country and beyond, setting to actual monsters, calling the shots on the court. He did all that. But he is still missing that connection. That moment where it clicks for him and he can confidently say “Ah, there it is.” 

He thought it was just something he made up, some kind of fantasy that something like that existed or that it was crucial for his way to that ‘happier’ life.

That was until Hinata and him synced up perfectly for their minus tempo quick attack for the first time. They had practiced it several times before but Atsumu, in the beginning, always underestimated just how high Hinata could jump. With Samu he was able to pull it off so easily back then because he knew his brother better than he knew himself. 

But Hinata was a wild card, a variable he couldn't figure out yet, so the timing was difficult. The attacks still worked out pretty well, but that was thanks to Hinata's reflexes and his quick thinking in the air. It was like he could move however he wanted. Like he could really fly.

But in one in-team practice match, it suddenly worked. Before the attack, their eyes met and both of them just knew. Hinata was already in the air, flying above all their heads and in the next moment, the ball was exactly where he wanted it. The feeling was exhilarating. 

Atsumu stood there and stared at Hinata, and Hinata was staring at his own palm with a wide grin on his face. He then looked up at Atsumu. “That was amazing, Atsumu-san,” he said. Nothing else happened. They continued the match, everything kept moving, practice went on as usual. Absolutely nothing changed.

But when their eyes met in that instant before the attack, Atsumu felt it.

“Ah, there it is.”

  
  


## act 3 - the big bad accident

  
  


He doesn't know how it came to this. He really doesn't know, but he feels like it's his own fault.

“It was yer own damn fault,” Samu said through the phone. 

Atsumu is currently lying face first on his bed and screaming into his pillow after he just had to live through the most humiliating moment of his entire life. No exaggeration, he truly wants the bed to swallow him so he can never get up again.

“Some compassion would be nice here.”

“My compassion ran out when I didn't eat ya in the womb.”

“Fuck you.”

Samu has the audacity to snort. “Yeah, fuck you too.”

That concludes this entirely unhelpful phone call to his brother. He was, as expected, of no help whatsoever. He should have expected that.

Atsumu weighs his options. There aren't many people he could go to right now without leaving his room, and he definitely does not want to leave his room. He needs to marinate in his own shame a little more before he can face the outside world again. 

Atsumu sits up on his bed and grabs his phone, staring at the screen for two minutes without doing anything.

There's Bokuto, who is eating in the kitchen right now. He does not want to talk to Bokuto.

There is Hinata, who is in his own room but that's a no-brainer. He can't talk to Hinata.

That only left Sakusa Kiyoomi. Atsumu pulls a face and weighs his options once more.

Nope. There was really just Sakusa.

So he texts him.

_Could you come to my room?_

_No._

Atsumu doesn't know what else he expected. He swallows the last pathetic bit of pride left in him and texts him again.

_Please._

_No._

Fuck Sakusa Kiyoomi, fuck him. Atsumu is going to use his sink the next chance he gets.

Then his phone vibrates in his hand.

_I can’t. Hinata is here._

Atsumu frowns.

_Where is ‘here’??_

_My room._

Atsumu stares at his phone. Sakusa actually let someone into his room. Sakusa let Hinata into his room, and Atsumu knows exactly what they're talking about. Atsumu hates his life.

There's a knock on his door and before he can even answer, it's opened and Bokuto steps in, with a little smirk. 

“Get out.” Atsumu says before Bokuto can even get a word in.

“So,” Bokuto ignores him, and Atsumu unsuccessfully throws a pillow at him. “I heard Hinata saw your-” Atsumu manages to hit him with a pillow right in his face.

Atsumu hates his life.

Atsumu eventually leaves his room because he has to. He can't be a hermit forever. First of all, he needs to eat, he doesn't have a toilet in there, and he has to go to practice.

When he comes out, his other roommates are all hanging around the living room, while Bokuto is preparing dinner with Akaashi sitting at their kitchen counter, typing away on his laptop. Atsumu doesn't even know when he got here.

Sakusa eyes him from his armchair but doesn't say anything but he is wearing this subtle look of pity and that's seriously pissing Atsumu off. Hinata is on the couch and Atsumu intends to ignore him (for the first time in his life) but of course Hinata Shouyou has other plans.

“Atsumu-san!” He calls out and gets up. 

“Nope.” Atsumu says and turns around, heading towards the bathroom. Fuck getting a snack. He's gonna take a shower for at least an hour. Or until Hinata goes to bed.

“But Atsumu-san, I think we should ta-”

“There is nothing to talk about. Nothing happened. So we don't need to talk about anything at all. Isn't that great?”

Curse Hinata for being so fast because he is glued to Atsumu's heels and he can't even shake him off while entering the bathroom.

“I want to apologize! Please, Atsumu-san!”

Atsumu then makes a mistake. He turns his head and looks at Hinata, and that's when he loses.

Hinata looks at him with his big eyes and it takes everything in Atsumu to not slump against the wall and slide down until he's sitting on the floor.

“Okay,” he agrees and it kind of hurts him to say that.

Hinata looks relieved and he reaches forward and grabs both of Atsumu’s hands because he's a touchy person like that.

“I’m really really sorry, Atsumu-san. I shouldn't have just walked into your room without knocking and waiting first.”

Atsumu's head is seriously on fire but how could he be actually mad at Hinata? He never was. He was mad at himself for being stupid.

“I’m also sorry for, uh, you know,” and this time it's Hinata blushing and that image is almost too much for Atsumu. A blushing Hinata holding both of his hands, cornering him in their bathroom. “I’m sorry for– for laughing. I didn’t even mean to, it just slipped out because I panicked.”

Oh God, this was the worst. Atsumu can't handle this.

Because now. Now Hinata started to ramble.

“Because obviously there was nothing to laugh at! I, uh, I mean, not that I saw a whole lot, everything went by really fast. I mean, I did, well, I did see– no wait, that's not important, it's not even a big deal right? Haha, yeah, so the laughing didn't mean anything, actually I should have done the opposite of laughing– no wait, that would be crying, I wouldn't cry seeing your–”

“Okay! Thank you, Shouyou-kun. That’s enough, I– I got it. It's okay. I’m not mad. I never was.”

Hinata nods in relief and the two of them are stuck in silence for several seconds until Atsumu clears his throat and Hinata realizes he's still holding his hands. He let's go and steps back, cheeks still bright red. “Good. That's good. I’m glad. The last thing I would want is to have you mad at me.”

 _I think it's physically impossible for me to actually be mad at you,_ Atsumu wants to say, but doesn't. He just awkwardly nods and they continue to just stand there, rooted to the ground, somehow unable to move.

Their savior comes in the form of Bokuto’s voice calling everyone for dinner. It's like the spell freezing them to their spots is broken and they both hurry out of the bathroom and out to the living, sitting down with the others.

At first everything goes really alright too. Bokuto easily carries the conversation and Hinata joins in. Sakusa doesn't really join, but he rarely does, and Akaashi just offers a little commentary here and there. Atsumu stays quiet for the most part. He is still healing.

“So, let's address the elephant in the room,” Bokuto begins and Atsumu knows this isn't good. Not good at all.

“Koutarou–”

“Bokuto–”

Both Sakusa and Akaashi try to jump in to avail.

“Hinata,” Bokuto leans forward with a serious expression. “I’m gonna move my hands away from each other and you’re gonna stay stop.”

Atsumu chokes on his own saliva. “What the _fuck–”_

But Bokuto is already at it. He starts offensively small. “Just say stop. Okay, say stop whenever. Wait, seriously? _Seriously?_ Wha-” His hands are now almost a meter away from each other now. “Okay this is impossible. I’m starting over.”

Hinata looked embarrassed at first, but now suddenly his face changes and there's a glint in his eyes like he's about to receive the strongest serve in the world. “Why are you starting over? I didn’t say stop yet.”

Chaos.

Sakusa altogether stands up and leaves the table, Bokuto looks like he has never been owned this hard in his life, and Akaashi is hiding his grin behind his hand.

Astumu’s mouth just hangs open and Hinata glances over to him and winks.

“Bokuto! Jar!” Sakusa yells from somewhere far away.

  
  


## act 4 - the damp towel fiasco

  
  


Atsumu just came home from the gym with Bokuto when Sakusa corners them right at the entrance.

“We have a problem.”

The two of them pause in the middle of taking their shoes off and look up at him.

“Okay?” Atsumu asks because just as always, Sakusa doesn't just elaborate, no he has to be difficult.

“My towel is damp.”

Both Atsumu and Bokuto stare at him for a bit before sighing and continuing their own thing.

“This is important. We are holding a meeting in the living room in five.” And with that he walks off and they know they have to attend because Sakusa will force them anyway. And likely, there is more to the whole thing but, again, he just has to be difficult.

So here they are, all four roommates, in their respective seats in the living room, waiting for Sakusa to explain.

“I think we need to change out towel hanging situation because the way they are structured now appears to make the towels cling onto too much humidity accumulating in our bathroom and if I have to find my towel already damp after my shower one more time, I swear to God–”

He gets really heated about it.

Neither Bokuto, nor Atsumu really care, and they don't really understand either because their towels aren't damp at all, but there is really no point in arguing this. Hinata is on Sakusa's side, not because he feels the same, but because “if it's important to you, Omi-kun, then it's important to me.” And that's the most precious thing they have ever heard and they all love Hinata Shouyou.

So right after their dorm meeting, and not a minute later, Sakusa starts installing new towel holders for them and he looks incredibly satisfied with himself.

That should have been it.

The next morning, it's Sakusa and Atsumu meeting in the bathroom again, because they usually have the same toothbrushing timing.

Against his better judgement, Atsumu asks. “How’s the towel situation? Because honestly, my towel was never damp, so maybe ya were just throwing a fit?”

Sakusa frowns at him and walks over to his towel. “I wasn't throwing a fit, I–” He freezes as his hands come in contact with his towel and his entire face changes.

“ **_Damp!_ ** Everyone, bathroom, _now!”_ He suddenly yells and Atsumu flinches because while he has heard Sakusa yelling many times, he has never seen him this outraged before.

Hinata is the first once to drop in with a bounce in his step. “What's up, Omi-kun?”

Right behind him follows Bokuto along with Akaashi. Atsumu didn't even know he stayed over last night. When did he get here? “What is it, Omi-Omi?”

“Is someone playing a joke on me? Honestly? Because why is my towel still damp?” Sakusa is almost shaking at this point while pointing at the blue towel hanging off the wall.

Bokuto frowns. “Because that's not your towel. That's _my_ towel.”

“No, it's not ‘your’ towel. Your towel is the red one.”

Bokuto points at the red towel. “I’ll tell you this, Omi. I’ve never used that,” and now points at the blue towel next to Sakusa. “I do use that one every single day.”

There’s a moment of silence and the actual horror of the situation seems to slowly dawn on Sakusa. “Oh God…”

Hinata pulls at the red towel, rubbing it between his hands. “This towel is so warm and fluffy, it's like it's been in the sun forever.”

This is the best day of Atsumu's life. “This means you two have been drying your junk with the same towel.”

Akaashi nods and smiles. “Intimate.”

 _“Are you out of your mind?”_ Sakusa all but screams.

“What do you mean, am I ou-”

“How do you think this is your towel?! Do you even wash it?”

Bokuto snorts. “No? I don't wash the towel, the towel washes _me._ Who washes a towel?”

Now Akaashi looks at him in concern. “Koutarou, you never wash it?”

Bokuto genuinely looks surprised. “You wash your towel?”

If Sakusa looked angry before, now he’s just going ballistic. “ _You never wash the towel?!”_

Atsumu keeps looking back and forth between them, not knowing if he should be in awe or grossed out. This is so good. This is just _so good._

Bokuto looks indignant like Sakusa is being the unreasonable one right now. “Well, what am I gonna do? Wash the shower next?” Sakusa makes a heaving sound. “Wash a bar of soap? You gotta think here, Omi-Omi!”

“I am _furious!”_

And now Bokuto starts yelling back. “I come out of the damn shower, I’m clean as a damn baby, and I use the towel!”

Hinata grabs Akaashi’s arm and the two of them slowly back away. Well, there is no way Atsumu is leaving. He is not missing a single second of this.

“Well, let me ask you this then, Bokuto Koutarou. Have you been wearing my underwear?”

Atsumu is so confused; he loves his life.

“Sometimes, yeah. Who cares?” Bokuto then admits with ease and a shrug of the shoulder and Atsumu frowns. _What?_

Now Sakusa has to hold himself up at the wall and starts dry heaving while leaning down.

“You guys don't wear each other's underwear? You're lying! We _all_ wear each other's underpants!”

Wait. What.

“You’ve been wearing my underwear?” Atsumu joins in.

It's pure escalation from that point on.

And ever since that day, everyone keeps their towels in their own rooms and Bokuto has to, again, put money into the Jar.

  
  
  


## act 5 - the ceo’s visit

  
  


One day, Hinata suddenly announces, “Kenma is going to visit tomorrow and we're gonna hang out! Just a heads up!” And he looks so happy, so filled with joy that this Kenna is going to spend time with him that it ruins Atsumu's entire mood.

“Who the hell is Kenma?” He asks once Hinata left for his run.

Bokuto is lazing on the couch next to him, playing on his phone, and answers without looking up. “Huh? Kenma is Hinata's sponsor.”

Atsumu waits. He waits for Bokuto to continue, he waits for the punchline, he waits for _anything_ at all, but nothing follows.

“What. What do you mean he's Shouyou’s sponsor?”

Bokuto frowns but still doesn't look up from his phone. “I mean he’s his sponsor. How do you think Hinata could afford to go to Brazil for two years? He's a CEO. Has a big house here in Tokyo and everything. Ya get it.”

After that, the rest of the day was only a blur. Working out, showering, eating, getting ready for bed. Atsumu only managed to finish those things thanks to muscle memory. During dinner, Hinata wouldn't stop talking about this Kenma guy as well. Kenma, the rich CEO who has a house in Tokyo. Kenma whom Hinata likes so much, whom he can't wait to see tomorrow and spend all day with.

“We’re probably just gonna stay in my room though,” he said lightly but it was the nail to Atsumu's coffin.

Atsumu is losing it. He grabs his phone.

“Samu, I–”

“Some people are trying to sleep, ya ugly pest!”

“This is important, Samu!” Atsumu whines and rolls around on his bed.

“I don't care. Please delay your meltdown to tomorrow. Goodnight.”

“Samu, I can’t just–” But Osamu hangs up on him. His brother is absolutely useless.

Atsumu barely sleeps that night and feels like a zombie when they sit together at breakfast, while Hinata is humming to some made-up song. He’s acting like he's at the peak of his life. Because of _Kenma._

“When’s Kenma coming?” Bokuto asks and Atsumu is already sick of hearing this guy’s name. Yesterday, while he couldn't sleep, he pieced together his own image of this dude. He only had this one name, so looking up ‘Kenma’ and ‘CEO’ had gotten him absolutely nowhere. So his head had enough time to make up everything on its own.

In his mind, Kenma is at least in his late thirties, maybe even older. He is tall, has slicked back hair, and wears expensive suits. Probably owns several expensive foreign cars. He probably calls Hinata “baby” and promises him the world in exchange for his time. Atsumu hopes he has a receding hairline at least. 

“Oh, probably not before two o’clock. He had to stay up late yesterday and I told him to get enough sleep so we can have lots of fun today!”

Atsumu doesn't want to eat anymore. 

Sakusa is eyeing him suspiciously from across the table while drinking his tea, raising a single eyebrow. As if he's realizing something.

“You met him in high school, didn't you Hinata?” Sakusa suddenly asks.

“Yup! In my first year! We hit it off immediately!”

Atsumu drops his chopsticks. “You’ve met him in _high school?”_

Hinata jumps at Atsumu's almost screeching voice and looks at him in surprise. “Yes? Why are you so surprised.”

Atsumu decides here and then that he hates this Kenma. This disgusting creep, closing in on a child! He can’t wait to see this old, balding, greasy—

— short, twenty-something guy with long hair messily tied in a bun, in an oversized Nekoma sweater????

Nekoma??

“So this is our apartment, Kenma! Isn't it awesome? Oh and these are Omi-kun and Atsumu-san. You know Bokuto-san of course!”

Atsumu stares at him in full shock.

Kenma nods at them, and politely bows, saying ‘Hello’ in a quiet voice.

“Kenma! What’s up! How’s Kuroo?”

Kuroo? Best friend of Bokuto Kuroo? Former captain of Nekoma Kuroo???

“He’s fine. You facetimed him yesterday, nothing has changed about him since then.”

Both Hinata and Bokuto laugh as if that was the funniest thing they have ever heard. Atsumu doesn't understand. He is so confused. What is happening.

“Do you want something to drink? I got you your favorite apple pies from the convenience store too! We can snack on them in my room. Did you bring that new game you were talking about?”

Game??? Convenience store apple pies????

Kenma actually smiles a little. “Thank you, Shouyou. Do you have some iced coffee? If not then just water.”

“Of course! I got them for you!”

Hinata bounces away to the kitchen at that, leaving Kenma with them. Kenma doesn't say anything, not even attempting small talk like people usually would and only pulls out his phone to type a quick message, before slipping it back into the pocket of his sweater.

“You're gonna play games all day together? Can I join?” Bokuto asks, and the fact that he acts so familiar with him makes it obvious that he knows this guy pretty well.

Why had Bokuto been so vague about Kenma then? It drove Atsumu insane ever since yesterday. It's almost like–

It’s almost like it was on purpose.

“I don't know about all day, since Shouyou gets antsy after a while. And no, you can't join. Shouyou's all mine today.” There is no further comment on that but Bokuto just shrugs and seems okay with that.

Atsumu squints at him. This would have consequences, Bokuto purposely did this to him. 

Atsumu is busy glaring at Bokuto, he almost misses Kenma’s studying eyes on him, but he feels them just in time and turns around to only find him staring unabashedly at Atsumu.

Atsumu doesn't really know what to do and Kenma’s eyes, in contrast to the rest of him which is all slouchy and unflashy, are very sharp like they're currently scanning everything about Atsumu. 

Kenma only blinks and looks away when Hinata comes bouncing back into the room. “Okay, I got our stuff, let's head to my room!”

Kenma just nods and follows Hinata, only to let his eyes pass over Atsumu once again. 

As soon as the door closes behind them, Atsumu turns to Bokuto. “Why the _hell_ did you say Kenma was Hinata's sponsor?”

Bokuto grins like the little asshole he is. “Because he is! I wasn't lying! He is a CEO and financially helped Hinata with Brazil! Oh, but he's also Hinata’s best friend and Kuroo’s boyfriend! And he used to be Nekoma’s setter! That's how they met. Did I not say that?”

Atsumu is going to strangle him.

  
  


## act 6 - sakusa kiyoomi’s epiphany

  
  


Ever since Kenma’s visit, Atsumu has been feeling… off.

He couldn't really pinpoint it, didn't have time to really, because they were very busy with the team. Their match against the Schweiden Adlers was approaching, which was also Hinata's debut game, so whenever they weren't at practice, they were either going over strategies, trying to rest, or not die while Coach Foster was drilling them.

The fated day approached faster than any of them saw coming and it was honestly one of the best matches of Atsumu's life. Especially because they walked off that court victorious.

Hinata was over the moon, basically vibrating for days and whenever Atsumu saw him, he couldn't help but smile. He was so proud of him. He was so proud of _them._

The entire team performed amazingly, but Atsumu thought that it was Shouyou especially that shone the brightest out there. Atsumu felt that connection, that thing he's been craving for so desperately when he was out there with him and it was like a high, like a drug, to play in a team that had Hinata Shouyou.

After the match, he confidently walked up to his brother and grinned at him and there were no words left to be said. They didn't need to. They just knew. They knew that they were both at their happiest now.

The mood after the match was exceptionally good with all of them, and they likely never had such a peaceful time back at home. Coach gave them a few days off before the preparation for the next season would begin, and almost every day either Osamu or Akaashi or both of them would be over, and they would just have relaxed evenings. Even Sakusa was having a good time.

Their days off passed almost too fast, and now there are only two days left before scheduled training would begin again, and Atsumu is laying on their couch, feeling some kind of melancholy.

“Can you please stop sighing?” Sakusa snaps at some point. Atsumu had even forgotten he was there with him.

“I’m not sighing,” Atsumu sighs with a sigh. He sees now what Sakusa means. “Okay, maybe I am. But I don't even know why.”

Sakusa eyes him and he's about to say something, probably something mean, when Hinata comes walking in.

“Hey guys! I’m gonna go for a run, wanna join?”

Atsumu sits up on the coach just so he can see Hinata better. He isn't actually in the mood for a run, but if Hinata's offering–

“No, we’re good. Thank you, Hinata,” Sakusa answers for them and Atsumu turns to him in confusion.

Hinata, as always, takes it in a stride. “Alright! See you guys later!” And with that he’s already gone.

“Why’d you say that! I wanted to join!”

Sakusa groans and puts aside his book. “No you didn't. You were only going to go because it was Hinata asking.”

It's true, but that doesn't mean Sakusa has to say it out loud. “So? I like to spend time with my friend? Sue me.”

Sakusa looks about done. “I’ve had enough of this. _We’ve_ had enough of this. When are you going to tell him?”

“Tell him what?”

“Don't play dumb. When are you going to tell him that you're pathetically in love with him?”

Atsumu's mouth falls open in shock. _What?!_

“What? I’m not in love with him! Where’d you even get that?”

Sakusa stares at him, looking almost as annoyed as the first time he caught Bokuto drinking milk straight out of the carton. “Are you– Oh my God, you’re serious. Have you seriously not put together the pieces yet? Of course you are in love with him.”

Atsumu refuses to put those thoughts together in his head because they didn't make any sense anyway. 

Yes, he loves spending time with Shouyou. Yes, he feels warm whenever he sees him smile. Yes, he gets a little bothered seeing him doing yoga in those tight pants. Yes, his laugh is his favorite sound in the world. Yes, he misses him when he's not around. Yes, he got jealous at the thought of him being with Kenma. Yes, he gets weak whenever their eyes meet and Hinata’s big amber eyes pull him in and completely absorb him. And yes, he feels an electric connection to him whenever they're on court, like he's finally found the answer to all the questions he's always been too scared to ask himself since he was seventeen. But that doesn't mean–

Holy shit.

“I’m in love with him. Oh my God. I’m in love with Hinata Shouyou.”

Sakusa claps once. “Yes you are. You have been for a while. We all had to endure it. Please end our misery and tell him.”

Atsumu still can't get over it. “Omi-kun, I’m in _love_ with Shouyou! Holy fucking shit!”

“Yes, yes, we know. Everyone knows.”

Atsumu starts. “What do you mean everyone? Who’s everyone?”

Sakusa looks bored out of his mind as he starts listing. “Me and Bokuto. Akaashi-san, the entire Black Jackals team, Kozume-san, Osamu-san–”

_“Osamu?!”_

“Basically everyone who has ever seen you too in the same room, really. Well, except Hinata himself of course. And aren't you a lucky bastard.”

Atsumu is going through several meltdowns at once. “This is crazy. How did I not realize this? It's so obvious. I’m totally gone for him!”

“I really don't know. I didn’t think you hadn't realized this yourself. I gave you at least that much credit, but once again you’ve let me down.”

Atsumu kicks out his leg and misses spectacularly. “Oh shut up!”

“Anyway, please do something.”

Atsumu sits on that for a bit. Telling Shouyou how he felt? Was that alright? Could he do that? Just the thought of it made him more nervous than any test or trial he’s had in his life. 

“Do you think he likes me back?”

Sakusa blinks once. “I’m not doing this.” And he tries to stand up, but this time Atsumu manages to get up and grab him by his arm in time. Sakusa’s face crunches up like it always does when he finds something gross and shakes him off. But Atsumu is not going to give up.

“Please, Omi-kun! You're my best friend! Help me!”

Sakusa scoffs. “I’m not your best frie–”

This time it's Sakusa who freezes in shock and he falls back down on his armchair while his face goes through eight different emotions. It appears he's going through similar revelations as Atsumu had just now.

“Oh my God. You’re my best friend.” He says, his voice hollow and empty.

“Yes, I am.”

Sakusa slaps his hand against his forehead. “We’re best friends. Oh my God, how did that even _happen?_ Why? Why you?”

“You know, you weren't my first choice either but here we are. So anyway. Do you think Shouyou likes me back?”

Sakusa grabs a pillow and hits him.

  
  


## act 7 - atsumu’s yearning 

  
  


Things are going– Well, they're going.

Ever since Sakusa’s and Atsumu’s epiphany, another week had passed and not much had changed in the household of the chaotic MSBY quartet.

Regular practice has started again, they all were busy preparing for the coming season, and at home everything was going as usual.

They bickered, they watched matches together, Atsumu had to put money into the Jar after asking what the French word for Baguette is. Normal stuff.

Except, Miya Atsumu is in love with Hinata Shouyou. 

Or at least now he knows.

So things are a little difficult.

Every morning when Hinata greets him with a bright smile, Atsumu wants to respond with “I love you.” After every practice when Hinata flies across the court and perfectly hits once Atsumu's tosses, Atsumu wants to shout ‘I love you.” When they're sitting together with the others at dinner, Atsumu wants to take his and and say, “I love you.”

But he doesn't, and it drives Sakusa mad.

“Why are you not doing anything? If I have to see your sulking face even one more time–”

“It's not that easy!” Atsumu whines and slumps in his seat at the desk in Sakusa's room. Yes, he was allowed to enter now. Because they’re best friends. Atsumu still isn't allowed to touch anything. “I want to blurt it out whenever I see him but I– I just can't! I don't know!”

Sakusa rolls his eyes. “Coward.”

“Shut up! Am not!”

“Coward,” Samu agrees two days later when he comes over. They're sitting down together and eating the onigiri Samu brought over and Atsumu grumbles into each and every bite.

“Y’all guys just don't get it!” He laments. “I can't just tell him!”

“And why not?”

“Because!” Atsumu's cheeks redden and he looks down at his lap. “What if he doesn't like me back? What if it becomes awkward then? We live together and we're on the same team. We work so well together, especially on court, and if I ruin that, I’ll ruin this amazing thing we have. I can’t afford that.”

Atsumu thinks that's a very reasonable concern. Osamu just blinks twice before sighing.

“Shut up, coward. The other day when I came over, you weren't home so I hung out with Shouyou-kun for a bit. And I asked him how it's going, and his response was a detailed report on how well your extra practices are going. How much fun it is to live here with you. He talked about you for at least ten minutes. Just tell him, coward.”

It's not like Atsumu doesn't believe his brother, but that doesn't make it easier to just go up to Hinata and confess to him. This was Atsumu's ultimate trial. 

“He talked about me? Really? What did he say?” He asks, a little bashful.

Osamu just cusses him out because as usual, he is no help whatsoever.

After another week of Atsumu just dreamily staring after Hinata, and moping on their couch, it's actually Bokuto that snaps.

Atsumu is just lazing around, wallowing in his feelings like a loser, when Bokuto sits on the floor in front of the couch and puts his face uncomfortably close to Atsumu’s.

“Can I help you?” Atsumu asks as he pushes away a little.

“No, but I’m going to help you. Because I know what you're going through. Because I went through this Akaashi. Well, somewhat. You’ll see what I mean.”

Usually Atsumu would dismiss him, but the facts are that in terms of relationships, Bokuto is actually the most successful and experienced one among them. He has been in a years long solid relationship with one Akaashi Keiji. Atsumu is surprised the two of them haven't gotten married yet.

“The thing is, I had been in love with Keiji for a while before we got together. And I knew that Keiji felt the same way. Actually, it even turned out that he fell in love first. But anyway, we danced around each other without doing anything and then I graduated. It made things more difficult because Keiji was still in his last year of high school and I used all my time and effort into going pro. After I graduated, I didn't see Keiji for months. It was horrible. 

“You know, back in high school we could have gone for it, but Akaashi used to overthink everything. He still does, but it's gotten a lot better. He was aware of his feelings, but he was too busy overthinking them to death to do anything. He opted out because he asked himself too many questions and ran too many possible scenarios that scared him. He only saw the worst outcomes of what would happen if he would confess his feelings to me.”

Atsumu is surprised by how heartfelt and serious this is, and he's slowly understanding what Bokuto is getting at.

“Keiji was too busy being scared to the point where we almost slipped away from each other. Back then I knew Keiji had feelings for me, but I also knew that he was scared. This part doesn't really relate to you, but Keiji had this weird misconception about himself in relation to me too which made things more complicated. In any case, things between us almost never worked out. Could you imagine that? Me not being with Akaashi Keiji?”

Atsumu thought about it for a moment and it was actually really difficult to.They were a surprisingly lowkey couple, but everyone that saw them just knew how well they worked together and how much love there was between them. Atsumu has only encountered little moments between them by chance. Akaashi sitting between Bokuto's legs while working and Bokuto playing with his hair. Akaashi absentmindedly playing with Bokuto's fingers and looking at Bokuto with stars in his eyes while Bokuto was telling some kind of story. 

It was very difficult to imagine these two not being hopelessly gone for each other.

“You know,” Bokuto continues and it has to be the gentlest tone Atsumu has ever heard from him. “You understand what I’m trying to say right?”

Atsumu just nods, trying to take everything in, and he is a little overwhelmed by it.

Bokuto nods with his usual signature grin and gets up. “Good talk.”

Atsumu watches him get up and walk away, and he suddenly has a newfound appreciation for his roommate. It's like something important just changed between them as well.

“Bokkun,” Atsumu calls out before Bokuto can disappear into his room. “Are we friends?” 

Bokuto looks at him curiously and a smile so wide it's worthy of his usual “beam” blooms on his face. “Tsumu, we are _best_ friends.” He doesn't stick around to hear Atsumu's reply to that.

Atsumu sits up on the couch and leans back, and he smiles to himself.

_Samu, ya seeing this? I’m together with my best friends._

And Atsumu is really happy.

  
  


## the summit

Atsumu is lost in his thoughts when Hinata and Sakusa come back from their practice that evening. Atsumu only spares them a glance and smiles without saying anything.

Apparently that sets off the alarm bells in Sakusa's head. “Are you sick? You know the proper procedure for sickness in this apartment.”

Hinata runs up to him. “You're sick, Atsumu-san?” And he really looks so worried. Atsumu loves him.

Atsumu snorts. “I’m not sick. Just thinking about stuff.”

Sakusa eyes him for a while and eventually just shrugs and turns around. “Don't hurt yourself.” 

Atsumu rolls his eyes and decides to not offer another comeback this time. Hinata is still there and sits down next to him, his big eyes still intently focused on him.

“I’m really not sick, Shouyou-kun.”

Hinata eyes him for a few more seconds until he seems to be satisfied and leans back right next to him on the couch. “Good. We can't have that.”

Atsumu snorts. “Right, who else could keep up with your crazy zick zacks on court but me?”

Hinata hums. “Exactly. Your tosses are the only ones that go like, zaam, you know. I love that. It's like we're, hah I don't know, this sounds stupid, but it's almost like we have this connection on court. Like our eyes meet and it's like whoosh! And I feel like everything works out.”

Atsumu stares at him in surprise and Hinata is purposely looking everywhere _but_ him with a slight blush on his cheeks.

“Shouyou-kun,” Atsumu whispers but Hinata still won't look at him. “Shouyou,” he calls out again with a little more strength and Hinata finally glances over. 

Bokuto's words ring in Atsumu's head again. _In any case, things between us almost never worked out. Could you imagine that?_ No he couldn't.

“I love you.”

And then it's out, and weirdly, Atsumu isn't nervous. He isn't sweating, or shaking, he isn't any of that, because he's just in love with Hinata Shouyou.

Hinata turns to him in surprise, his mouth slowly opening before forming into that wonderful smile that lights up everything Atsumu knows.

Atsumu takes Hinata's hand. “I love you, Shouyou.”

Hinata squeezes his hand and to Atsumu's surprise, Hinata's hand _is_ sweaty and shaking. 

“Me too. I love you too, Atsumu-san.”

And ain’t that the best thing Atsumu has ever heard.

Atsumu lets go of Hinata's hand and instead cups his face on both sides and pulls him close to him. He pauses just when they're about to meet in the middle, and Atsumu just takes that short instant to look at Hinata again. Because that's the man he loves, right there.

Hinata pushes forward and their lips finally meet, and Atsumu can't help but smile into it. 

_Ah, there it is._

  
  


## act 8 - the birthday bash (fin)

  
  


“We will now go over the new dorm rules,” Sakusa announces very seriously because to him this is a very serious matter.

He clears his throat. “No making out on the balcony. No making out in the kitchen. Absolutely no making out in the living room. Under no circumstances is shower sex allowed. If you have sex anywhere but your own rooms, you will die. I’m not joking. I’m going to kill you. Bokuto, please continue.”

Bokuto grins and stands up, a new big glass jar in his hands. “I’d hereby like to christen our newest addition to our dorm. Our second Jar. The Atsuhina Horny Jar. You shall now have to pay for your horny crimes.” Bokuto places it next to the Dumbass Jar. “If you get caught,” Bokuto adds with a little wink.

Sakusa glares at him, and the rest laugh, and Atsumu can't be bothered to feel annoyed to have his own Jar now. Hinata is currently cuddling up to him in his arms, he could literally die happy right this instant.

“This is great and all,” he still says. “But did we have to do this at your birthday party, Bokkun?”

Apart from the people living here, there are currently several more non-msby-quartet (as Bokuto and Hinata call them now) in their apartment. The entire Black Jackals starting team is here. There's Akaashi of course, Osamu, Kuroo with Kenma glued next to him, and two people from Bokuto's old Fukurodani team. That was the maximum Sakusa allowed. Actually it easily surpassed that. 

Because this was Bokuto's birthday party. Kind of. Because Bokuto's birthday was in September but they were too busy to celebrate it. So it's a very delayed party. Atsumu thinks it's just an excuse to host a party.

Bokuto just grins at them. “I think my party is the perfect moment to christen a new Jar.”

Atsumu rolls his eyes and instead turns to Hinata who is already looking at him with a smile.

“What?” Atsumu asks and the party around them continues on without them.

Hinata shrugs. “Nothing. Just happy.”

Atsumu closes his eyes. _FUCK. Fuck. Fuck, I love him. I love him so much. God, this is just crazy. I can't stand it._

Atsumu opens his eyes again and he pulls away for a moment to pull out his wallet and throw some money into the Jar.

“Miya, why are you putting money into the Jar,” Sakusa asks in a threatening tone and Atsumu just grins.

“For horny crimes,” he answers and goes back to Shouyou and kisses him because he has to. 

Sakusa groans loudly, there is some cheering with Bokuto being the loudest, and Hinata giggles against his mouth.

“Tsumu,” Hinata says because that's what he calls him now. Not Atsumu-san. Tsumu. Atsumu loves him. He pulls away before Sakusa threatens them with bodily harm. “You're so cute.”

“Stop this right now,” Sakusa still threatens and Atsumu looks over to him with a faux innocent look.

“But wasn't it you who encouraged me to do something? Well here you go, Omi-kun.”

Sakusa looks so tired.

Hinata pulls at his sweater, telling him to stop teasing, and then he promises not to kiss Atsumu here anymore.

“Why would ya promise him that? What if I really need a kiss though?” 

Hinata laughs and calls him an idiot. Yeah, maybe he is.

“If it's an emergency, we can just disappear in our rooms for a moment.”

Atsumu gets up. “It's an emergency.”

Hinata laughs and lets himself get pulled along.

The party around them goes on, in the apartment Atsumu shares with his two best friends, and the man he loves.

Hinata Shouyou kisses him.

Ah, there it is.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


## encore - the big bad accident 1.1

  
  
  


Atsumu thinks that Avril Lavigne’s Sk8ter Boi is one of the best songs that have ever been released.

That was his last thought before his life fell apart.

Atsumu had his headphones in, jamming to Avril laying it down, while he was getting ready after his shower. Okay, maybe he was fooling around a little bit. But he was young, he was wearing a soothing sheet mask, he was having fun, he was a sk8ter boi, I said see you later boi. 

So Atsumu was just dancing around in his room, and he takes off the towel around his hips, dancing towards his closet to put on clothes.

That's when the door opened.

That's when Atsumu pulled out his headphones in surprise, Avril’s muffled voice filling his room, as Hinata stood in his doorway with his mouth open in shock. Atsumu mirrored him.

“Shouyou-kun!”

Hinata jumped, like he just realized what was actually happening here, and to Atsumu's horror, Hinata's eyes glanced down and then. Then Hinata laughed. And then ran out.

Atsumu stood there, naked as he came, while Avril sang her heart out in the back.

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> talk to me about atsuhina on [twt](https://twitter.com/msby_twt)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Cookie Incident](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25668373) by [KennedyDreyar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KennedyDreyar/pseuds/KennedyDreyar)




End file.
